Recipe for the Healthiest Summer Yet

There is no better time than summer to focus on health. Longer, warmer days seem to invite us to become lighter and brighter, too. One of the most powerful ways to nourish your body into its optimal state-of-being is through the food you eat every day. Here are three simple tips on how to use food to renew your body this summer:

Fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Whole plant foods are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients that help to slow aging and fight and prevent disease. These foods are also high in fiber, which creates a feeling of fullness while internally cleansing the body.

Balance your plate with color and cooking methods, while touching on each of the tastes: sweet, salty, savory, sour, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Experiment with fresh herbs to enliven your dishes.

Need some inspiration? Three delightful summer recipes in this article come from the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine’s Natural Healing & Cooking Program, which teaches a proven, practical and delicious way to fight and protect against obesity, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders and cancer. Lessons draw from the latest findings of nutrition science and epidemiology, the wisdom of traditional healing systems, and time-tested principles (and cuisines) from around the world.

For more information on the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine and its Natural Healing & Cooking Program, visit cim.ucsd.edu.

Best Ever Corn-on-the-Cob

Ingredients:

Corn

Ume boshi plum (paste, whole, or vinegar)

Instructions:
Place corn in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Remove careful and rub or drizzle ume boshi plum (paste, whole or vinegar) on the corn cob. Serve. You will never miss the butter!

Instructions:
Chop cabbage into fine slivers. Shred carrot and combine with cabbage. Create sauce by dissolving
miso paste into water. Add lemon juice and vinegar. Whisk until smooth. Pour sauce over cabbage/carrot mixture, and stir well, to fully coat vegetables. Toss with sesame seeds. This coleslaw will last for 5 - 7 days, and will marinate over time.

Quick Veggie Burgers

Serves: 4
Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups beans (any kind) cooked

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup shittake mushroom, finely chopped

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste, sauce, or ketchup

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste

Optional: Garnish with avocado and serve over a large leaf of romaine lettuce.

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in food processor (or blender) and blend until coarsely chopped. Chill mixture for at least 30 minutes. Shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties. Place patties on oiled or parchment paper-lined baking pan. Preheat oven to 475 degrees fahrenheit and bake patties on top rack for 10 to 15 minutes.